The NRL would be another option.

3 months of home games followed by the equivalent away.

Either way I hate seeing this once proud club shackled by the confines of British RL.

Wigan fans really do think their club is bigger than the game. You're not even the biggest club in British Rugby League, never mind one which could hold its own outside of it

My fear is that, as we all know despite what sky tell us, the quality of the game has dropped alarmingly to the fact that the sport does not have the clout to compete with RU & the NRL and so all our best players leave and we replace them with up and coming kids (nothing wrong with that but it takes time for them, to develop) or we import from the NRL. Unfortunately I cant see a worrying trend developing due to the threat of relegation where clubs are going back to recruiting 2nd and 3rd rate or ageing imports who do not raise the quality of the game. This is why I suggest that it wont take long before championship clubs will be able to compete with SL - but isnt that what the sport wants? every team has a chance?? smoke and mirrors - the game is dead

I truly believe that Wigan, Saints and Leeds are all bigger than the game. No Wigan vs Saints = a loss of the only 23/24/25k crowd left in the game. What's would be left if they went to the NRL? Finals of Wire vs Hudds or the big Hull derby





Don't kid yourself we are the biggest name in British RL. We might not currently be the best team in the league but I certainly wouldn't bet against us being the best placed to cope long term. Our facilities, history and talent pool are 2nd tof none.

I nearly 40 years of watching the game, I have seen us come close to beating the aussies in a test series but the fact is we are still waiting - the 'game' between Salford and leigh was a joke, tick and pass, panic play, no quality

So did Leigh and Halifax "not even come close" to beating Hull KR and Widnes last week or not?

Smell the coffee buddy.... RL is dying.

Unlike Leeds, Warrington and St Helens Wigan don't even own their own stadium so the facilities point is a little moot. I'm sure there is a nice training ground but the other clubs certainly have those.

FWIW, people outside Rugby League have been predicting its demise for the past 120 years and the idea that this should happen now when the sport remains a very valuable TV commodity is preposterous.

I can see why Wigan fans might consider current times difficult though - the entertainment value offered by Waneball is perhaps a little lacking, the club lacks the stadium which provides a heart and soul to the other big clubs whilst, for some reason, all too many home-produced players are happy to leave when they get a decent offer.

No, both teams lost - simples

Us STILL being the biggest name in British RL hurts don't it..

If you say so. Wigan's golden era is something of a folk memory for most people now so it's difficult to comment on what lasting grandeur it bestowed on your club.

The past is there on record... You need to be concerned about the future.

You forgot to add "least humble" to the list!

Looks like someone's had a successful outing with the rods, several lines out and bites on every one

Some fair points made, in my view. Wigan needs its own stadium, certainly. On the demise of RL, when union first went (officially) professional, all the pundits were up on their hind legs predicting the imminent demise of league and its absorption into RU. It didn't happen then and it's not about to happen now.

Correct. There is plenty of life in the old game yet. Crowds may be down but IIRC they are still better than 15/20 years ago.

Walk through the streets of Bath (just a few miles up the road from me), and yes, you see plenty of people wearing Bath Rugby jerseys. But they're mostly overweight middle-aged men. You don't see teenage girls wearing them like you do in Wigan. People down here don't live and breath union in anything like the same way that communities in the North have embraced league. In other words, I think the foundations of the game in terms of core support are strong.

Nobody, as soon as union comes on in my local club they switch it over to golf that's how bad union is.

I do but don't let that stop you making sweeping statements.

Lovely how people will blast RU then sit and watch Wakefield vs Leigh

Eh? Wakey versus Leigh was one of the best games of the season. If you didn't enjoy that you don't like Rugby League much. Are you really so one-eyed or had you forgotten?

OK if you say so.

Give me a 6 -4 or 12-6 big defence game any day of the week. High scoring or turnstile defences type games are great in theory but imo you can't beat a hard-fought low scoring game.

Not really. I'd expect Wakey/Leigh to be a better watch than the vast majority of RU games.

We'll have to agree to differ on what constitutes entertainment. In my humble opinion even the worst game of League has more entertainment than the best of Union. I did used to play Union at school so I'm not completely against it. But I would rather watch almost any other sport. Easier to play but harder to watch!

1 round later and Bradford hammer Salford 41-10, Leigh v Wakefield comes down to a drop goal finish with Leigh having been 16-6 up. Quality and fitness just fine from the Championship sides!

Leigh were very unlucky Imo they should have took the draw n went for drop goal in last few minutes when was near wakens line.

Also should have looked to single out Chris Rileys wing, they broke line down his aide quite easily but didn't recognise it as their best chance of scoring.